“This could possibly be the best DISNEY day ever!” * 4/21 * More Birthday *

[jc040404]

Those words came from the mouth of a brand new four year old on the Disney (birth)day hed finally get to ride Star Tours AND participate in Jedi Training!

The play on Phineas & Ferb was definitely intentional. We'd just met them again. It was more than obvious how clever he thought it was, but well get to that later. It seemed like a nice title for AP set three anyway. Andrew's Disney notebook even has Agent P on it.

Welcome to the current year of adventures! This one is certain to bring some big, new things for Andy-Roo & Blakers.

If you havent followed my last two TRs, I hope you enjoy this one. If youve been along for the rides so far, thanks for sticking with us! Weve managed just eleven Disney days yet, with stays at CSR and POR. Weve had a lot of fun, and Im excited to share our adventures so far.

Heres hoping each one can be the best Disney day ever in its own way!

The Cast:
Same as the last time. Were a family of four, living about 90 minutes from Mickeys door. To learn more, check the last TR!



Me (Jessica) & my awesome husband, John @ DHS *Andrew pic*


Blake (Blakers), age 3 & Andrew (Andy-Roo), age 5 @ MK! Bet you can't guess where it was taken..


Here we go!

[jc040404]

February 2012
Day One - CSR & MK * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4
Day Two - AK & CSR * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4
Day Three - DHS * 1 * 2

March 2012
Day Four - EPCOT * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4
Day Five - MK * 1 * 2 * 3

April 2012
Day Six - EPCOT/MK * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5
Day Seven - AK * 1 * 2

June 2012
Day Eight - EPCOT/POR * 1 * 2 * 3 *
Day Nine - DHS/MK/POR * 1 * 2 * 3
Day Ten - DTD/POR * 1 * 2
Day Eleven - POR/AK

July 2012
Day Twelve - MK

August 2012
Day Thirteen - DTD (Sharky & Bones!!) & MK
Day Fourteen - (Dinosaur World!) MK

September 2012
Day Fifteen - DHS/Poly/MK * 1 * 2 * 3 *
Day Sixteen - Poly/MK 1 * 2 *

October 2012
Day Seventeen - Wreck-It Ralph/MK * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6 *

November 2012
Day Eighteen - Fantasyland AP Preview * 1 * 2 *

December 2012
Day Nineteen - DHS * 1
Day Twenty - EPCOT *

January 2013
Day Twenty-One -
Day Twenty-Two -


February 2013
Day Twenty-Three -
Day Twenty-Four -
Day Twenty-Five -
Day Twenty-Six -
Day Twenty-Seven - Poly/MK * 1 * 2 *
Day Twenty-Eight - DHS/Poly-Neverland Club/MK * 1 * 2 *

[CAStevens218]

Wooohooo, I'm here and I'm excited!!!!!!!!

[Dugette]

Yay for another trip report! I think you will need to keep getting APs and writing TRs forever, because after following for three years, I would go through terrible Andy-Roo and Blakers withdrawal if you stopped!

Anyway, glad to see things have begun and looking forward to hearing about the year so far!

[AprilRenee]

"Hooray!!"


So excited you're back! I've missed you guys!

[jc040404]

Originally Posted by CAStevens218

Wooohooo, I'm here and I'm excited!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Dugette

Yay for another trip report! I think you will need to keep getting APs and writing TRs forever, because after following for three years, I would go through terrible Andy-Roo and Blakers withdrawal if you stopped!

Anyway, glad to see things have begun and looking forward to hearing about the year so far!

Originally Posted by AprilRenee

"Hooray!!"


So excited you're back! I've missed you guys!

So glad to have you all along again! We're finally settling into a summer routine, so I can get to work on this one. I can't believe I'm on year three already. Time sure flies..

[jc040404]

^I just love that pic/memory.

After receiving the most incredible Valentine’s Day gift ever, there was a plan. Of course, there’s always a plan. We have good intentions each and every time that word is used. No surprise to anyone, the plan just never really works for us. I pulled those exchange cards from their comfy envelope each day, dreaming of when we’d finally turn them into real annual passes. June was a long way off. I knew it was pointless to think we’d really be able to go so long without Mickey.

We lasted exactly thirteen days.

As the big day wore on, Blake and I started getting a little too impatient and my husband decided to break a rule. John never wanted to pull Andrew out of school for Disney, but we were about to make an exception. He didn’t seem to be learning much of anything new, so he’d be just fine to miss one afternoon. K is mostly playtime anyway, right? John hopped in the car to pick up Andy-Roo and some lunch, while Blake and I finished last minute packing. In no time at all, everyone was fed and happily buckled into the car. Our newest year of Disney Days was about to begin!



Our first stop was the resort. This was going to be more than just a quick day trip, but I wasn’t entirely thrilled about the choice. We’d stayed at CSR in 2010 and I wasn’t a fan. It was messy. It was noisy. It just didn’t feel like Disney. Unfortunately for me, two little boys didn’t agree with my review. CSR was “one of the coolest resorts ever!” and I didn’t know what I was talking about. (Okay, it does have a nifty playground.) Andrew had suggested CSR nearly every time I asked for resort input after. I always said no. Two years later, it seemed he would get that wish. It just felt like the right way to start this year.



Sadly, my feelings seemed justified while waiting to check-in. The building was very crowded, with few guests having that “vacation” look. There was definitely a convention going on and I felt out of place in that line. I don’t recall her name, but the CM that helped us looked ready for a nap. We were quickly set up and learned our room was ready. Good enough for me!

Ready to go, Blake and Andrew were excited to move on. We began to walk away when she called us back.

“Would they like a balloon?”

It was funny to me. My boys have learned to politely decline balloons and stickers at the grocery store. Maybe I’m a meanie mommy, but we don’t always need to bring home that extra junk. This is question we deal with all the time and they both froze. Two hopeful sets of eyes stared up at me.

C’mon, I’m not that mean. Disney World is not the grocery store!



This was the first, and only, time they’ve ever gotten a balloon at check-in. Not because I’ve declined. This was the only place they’ve been offered! Andrew picked Mickey and Blake took Pooh. He had to have Eeyore, of course. Even though she didn’t wake up, that CM is forever memorable to the boys. What a great way to start the new year!





When making this reservation, I added one request to the room. (I booked whatever the "lowest" option is here. standard?) The boys hoped to be near that awesome playground. Our room was located in Ranchos, 7-B or something like that, and poolside. I wasn’t sure if our request was granted, but we all have working legs if not. Being by the pool could be fun, even though I'd not packed for swim time.

Walking to the room brought our first distraction from the plan... Butterflies!



They were absolutely everywhere! We stuck around the parking lot for a bit, watching them flutter around us. Magical already, huh?

On to the room..





Hmmm.. Not bad. I started to like this place.




Oh yeah, the beds are bigger here, too. Maybe CSR isn't so bad..

Our view..



Top of a lamp. Too cute!

Doing the usual look over the room, I did come upon a few unfortunate mousekeeping problems, but a quick phone call assured us they’d be taken care of immediately. I wasn’t too bothered. We’ve dealt with worse. (Think CBR!)

My lovely boys jumped into doing the only logical things you could in that room..

Andrew & John battled each other with pillows. Blake opened, and closed, those doors 857 billion times.



I decided it was time to move this noise outside!

The boys went barefoot and sat by the pool for a few minutes, splashing their feet in the cool water. The pool was active, with a few other families swimming away the afternoon. I listened to some teenage siblings argue over who was taking longer shower time. It made me think. We’ll definitely need to reconsider resort choices as the boys grow.

Before long, those big rocks took priority. Whether you should or not, it was climbing time.





We wasted a pleasant, pointless hour away at CSR and did very little. It was just so good to be back at Disney again. Eventually, those exchange cards started calling our name and it was time to get back in the car.

To the TTC!

[CAStevens218]

Andrew has gotten so big! And that was February...he must look even older now!

CSR looks nice...I've never been there but I was reading another trip report recently from someone who absolutely loved it there! We might have to check it out for dinner or something this trip!

Too cute with the pillow fight!

Woohoo, off to the parks!!!!

[Lisa29]

Yay, you have started your third year!! The title jumped out at me then I realised it was yours!

This may sound odd and please don't take it funny because I really don't mean it to, but Andrew looks like a proper boy in those photos. By that I mean he doesn't look at all little now and his face is growing up. That sounds reeeeaaaallllllyy weird but I think I mean that at a certain point, kids lose their babyness and become little boys or girls, then that tuns into a grown up kids look. I imagine that looking at a picture of him in 5 years and it will be the same just a taller Andrew.

Anyway, after making a ridiculous attempt to explain that, great update and I really am glad that you are back.

[jc040404]

Originally Posted by CAStevens218

Andrew has gotten so big! And that was February...he must look even older now!

CSR looks nice...I've never been there but I was reading another trip report recently from someone who absolutely loved it there! We might have to check it out for dinner or something this trip!

Too cute with the pillow fight!

Woohoo, off to the parks!!!!

CSR still isn't my favorite resort, but it's not too bad. I know that most of my negative feelings had to do with the trash we saw the first time, and the room neighbors. I got zero sleep that night and never wanted to go back! The boys are huge fans though. The playground here is super cute.

The pillow fight may look cute, but they were being crazy! Between that and Blake's doors, they needed to burn some energy outside instead.

Originally Posted by Lisa29

Yay, you have started your third year!! The title jumped out at me then I realised it was yours!

This may sound odd and please don't take it funny because I really don't mean it to, but Andrew looks like a proper boy in those photos. By that I mean he doesn't look at all little now and his face is growing up. That sounds reeeeaaaallllllyy weird but I think I mean that at a certain point, kids lose their babyness and become little boys or girls, then that tuns into a grown up kids look. I imagine that looking at a picture of him in 5 years and it will be the same just a taller Andrew.

Anyway, after making a ridiculous attempt to explain that, great update and I really am glad that you are back.

The boys are huge Phineas & Ferb fans.

I know exactly what you were saying. I agree, and it kinda breaks my heart. He's really grown up a lot over the last year, and his little face really shows it. I miss those baby cheeks!


^ One of the first of him I put on the DIS.. Big change!

His hair was wild during this trip though. He keeps going through these "I don't want it cut!" phases. He's nuts about his hair.

[jane2073]

I am thrilled to see your new trip report. Now I can live vicariously through you!
We have vouchers but have committed to not renewing until Christmas time. Oh my gosh, it is driving me mad!!! Summer is normally our off time anyway but knowing we are not going back until Christmas....I can't stand it!!!!
I know you understand!

I am with you are the balloons and stuff from the grocery store. I just don't want it in the house because it seems to stay in the house forever!

Disney balloons are different!

[GaRain]

YAY to another year!!!

[partyof2]

I'm so glad you decided to go ahead with another TR, they are going to be so great for the boys to look back on in years to come.

Andrew really does look so grown up but I think Blake is definitely retaining his babyness (although don't tell big 4-year-old him I said that!!).

As a whole I'm not too sure about CSR, I think there's many other resorts I'd chose ahead of there BUT I adore the colour scheme and the furnishings in the rooms.

P.S. I was scratching my head and wondering if 'babyness' was a word, but then I saw Lisa use it above, so majority rules, it's a word!

[jc040404]

Originally Posted by jane2073

I am thrilled to see your new trip report. Now I can live vicariously through you!
We have vouchers but have committed to not renewing until Christmas time. Oh my gosh, it is driving me mad!!! Summer is normally our off time anyway but knowing we are not going back until Christmas....I can't stand it!!!!
I know you understand!

I am with you are the balloons and stuff from the grocery store. I just don't want it in the house because it seems to stay in the house forever!

Disney balloons are different!

Good luck! I thought we did pretty good with putting them off as long as we did. (The July '11-Feb '12 part anyway) I'm not in a huge hurry to go back with the heat and crowds for summer myself. Maybe you'll just make it!

Those grocery balloons make me just about crazy! I might be a bigger fan of this stuff if they had Mickey and Pooh bear on them though.

Originally Posted by GaRain

YAY to another year!!!

Woo Hoo! Glad you're along again!

Originally Posted by partyof2

I'm so glad you decided to go ahead with another TR, they are going to be so great for the boys to look back on in years to come.

Andrew really does look so grown up but I think Blake is definitely retaining his babyness (although don't tell big 4-year-old him I said that!!).

As a whole I'm not too sure about CSR, I think there's many other resorts I'd chose ahead of there BUT I adore the colour scheme and the furnishings in the rooms.

P.S. I was scratching my head and wondering if 'babyness' was a word, but then I saw Lisa use it above, so majority rules, it's a word!

Blaker knows he still has those baby cheeks! He's so silly about growing up. Some days, he'll have a fit at the idea of being little. On others, he's "mommy's baby" and will tell everyone so. It must be rough to be the little guy. I hope he keeps them for a while longer. Andrew getting older is enough to handle!

I have trouble seeing how CSR could really be anyone's favorite/dream resort, but I suppose we all like different things. It just doesn't feel like Disney to me, but I enjoyed that it's the lowest priced mod those two times. It wasn't that bad this time, so I'd go back if the boys reeeeally wanted to. (POR is still my favorite!)

"Babyness" sounds like a good word to me!

[jc040404]

I have an update written, but I'm on the wrong computer right now. Oops. I'll try to post it tomorrow. Friday is movie night is our house! We went to see Brave last week. I'm not sure which one we'll watch tonight.. I have a feeling it will probably be Disney anyway!

I thought I'd add a nifty discovery I made while starting this TR though. Our very next visit to the parks, whenever it may be, will be Andrew's 100th Disney Day! (park or resort) If not for these TRs, I'd probably never have been able to keep such a count. He went nuts when I told him, so we're going to try to come up with something special for it. Blake is already in planning for his, too!